Saturday, February 25, 2006

Hot Pepper and Garlic Jelly

I recently catered the pre-wedding ceremony cocktail party for one of my very good friends down in the Outer Banks, NC. One of the favorite things was the cheese platter the bride's father had put together of all sorts of gourmet cheeses from his deli. I had brought along a few jars of this, and we set it out with the cheeses. Paired with an extra sharp cheddar, this jelly practically sings. It's actually fabulous with almost any kind of cheese, or by itself on a cracker. It can also be mixed into cream cheese for a super-fast dip, or melted down and used as a glaze.

I've also included some super-easy canning tips that won't require any special equipment.

*This recipe is also an entry into Kalyn's Kitchen Weekend Herb Blogging Round-up. Stop by Kalyn's site on Sunday to discover some other great food bloggers!

Pepper Jelly

Hot Pepper and Garlic Jelly
yield 6 1/2pt jars

1 red bell pepper, minced
1 c fresh hot peppers, chopped
(I use any combination I happen to have on hand - banana, jalapenos, habaneros, etc)
1/2 c minced garlic
1 1/2 c vinegar
6 c sugar
2 tsp cracked black pepper
1 pkt liquid Certo

Place all ingredients in large saucepan and mix well. Bring to a boil, stirring often. Boil for 5-6 minutes. Remove from heat and add Certo. Stir well. Pour into 1/2 pint jars and seal.

*The easiest way to can is this - wash and dry canning jars thoroughly. Place lids and rings in a pot of barely simmering water. Once jelly is ready, fill a jar, leaving about a 1/4" headspace. With tongs, remove lid and ring from water, place on jar, and tighten, although not all the way. Turn jar upside down on a dishtowel. Repeat with remaining jars. Allow to cool for 10-15 minutes. Turn upright and allow to seal. Tighten rings on all jars. If any of the jars don't seal, simply store in the refrigerator once cool. The other jars can be stored in a pantry for 8 months to a year, if it lasts that long.

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

This sounds really delicious! I'd love to give it a try (making jam and preserves is something I have been wanting to tackle) however I have no idea what liquid Certo is and I don't think I can find it here...any suggestions/substitutions? :)

Thanks for visiting 80 Breakfasts, btw! :)

Fiber said...

Liquid Certo is liquid pectin, and is used specifically for canning. I know it can be found in most supermarkets (at least around here in Amishland, it is), or in some hardware stores where they sell canning supplies. It can also be ordered online.
I wouldn't substitute the powdered pectin however.
Best of luck! And thanks for stopping by!

Kalyn Denny said...

Great post for Weekend Herb Blogging. This sounds really delicious.

Anonymous said...

Oh boy!! I've made this, but yours is beautiful!!!! I must try it this way--and liquid pectin is the way to go. It makes a difference.

Anonymous said...

I just wanted to ask; what is Certo? I don't know if we have that here in Holland.

Thanks...

Cate said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Cate said...

The jelly looks gorgeous though, and I'd love to make some... perhaps this weekend. Thanks for the recipe. :)

Anonymous said...

Be sure to check the label on the Certo box for the date. If it is
out-of-date, don't use it. Old Certo doesn't set up as well.

Also, I add a bit of green or red food coloring at Christmas and give as gifts. Delicious!

Anonymous said...

I made your recipe this weekend. It is fabulous! Thank you for posting it.

JB

Anonymous said...
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Anonymous said...

Just finished making your jelly!! It's terrific. I used almost 2 (3 oz) packages of Certo and added a few drops of red food coloring to make them look extra festive, as I plan to give them as holiday gifts. I also added the seeds from a few of the jalapenos I used to give it some extra heat. The jelly is sweet with just a tiny bit of heat. Filled 3 (12 oz), 2 (8 oz) with a lil left for tasting. I'm so thrilled with how they turned out. Thank you for such a fantastic recipe.

Anonymous said...

Fast forward a few years - Just made this again and tried it out with just one package of certo as the recipe calls for and it's not enough. Going to have to reprocess and add some more.